what does your collection say about YOU!

[Saturn Celeste]

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=65383

by shadowdancer

Oh this is a really interesting topic! I can't wait to see what everyone has to say about this!

We are in the main all readers here of cards, and probably use one deck at time (sometimes two) and get a lot of good information.

 

How about, looking at our own collection, and thinking about what it says about us individually, but as a collection? Does it show aspects of our personality or character? I will start off saying what I think mine says about me. It would be cool for others to do the same, or perhaps (if they are feeling brave) listing 20 of their decks and asking somebody to summarise whatg they think they indicate of that person.

 

I have 60 decks now, and in the main they are RWS clones. I do have some from other parts of the world, such as Korea, Japan and Thailand which do follow this system, but have amazing colours and artwork. I think this indicates to me I like to follow a system, but have leaway to just look slightly either way of that particular system. I can be flexible, but not to the extent of being a total free spirit. Colour does mean a lot to me, and may indicate I do not like to have bland coverings on my walls at home. (Magnolia is turned away at the front door believe me!) Imagery without colour misses its meaning.

 

I have trimmed some decks which I think indicates I do not like distractions from something I am focussing on. If I actually equate this to when I am at work, I prefer working on my own away from a large office environment so that I can concentrate on the task at at hand. If it is not important I won't want to entertain it, and will go out of my way to avoid it.

 

My collection is housed in original boxes where possible, and then in bags. 40 of these are in one pine box in my bedroom with my spreadcloths over the top. I think this shows I like things to be in one place, where I know I can lay hands on them easily and quickly. The fact they take up a small amount of room by being housed like this, may indicate I don't like to rattle around in large areas, but prefer small and cosy instead. The fact they are covered could indicate I am a private person and do not like to reveal much of myself or my activities to others unless they are involved in the same activity.

 

THe other decks are in a separate box, which is used for a particular type of reading I do. I do compartmentalise, and this could indicate a personality trait. My work and home life are very different, and do not overlap. I never bring work home, and therefore have managed to keep the two separate.

 

My 20 decks to list:

 

Osho Zen

Tarot of Dreams

Druidcraft

Fey

Vargo

Gay

WItchy

Quest

Slumberland

Energy

Hanson Roberts

Robin Wood

Merryday

Arcus Arcanum

Old Path

New Vision

Cosmic

Gilded

Rose Knight

Medicine cards

 

Well, what do you think as an exercise? I could go on, but need to do some housework. I have listed 20 decks which do either get used a lot or are ones I am fond of.

 

Anybody else fancy having a look at what their 'collection' may say about them?

 

Davina

[popmygoddess]

Oo, l'll bite. If anyone wants to look at my collection in my profile and share, please do. I'm actually really curious.

 

Right off the bat, I'll say I turn to indie decks over mass produced. This isn't a conscious choice, I was just looking over my list one day and noticed it. Even my TWU deck is from when it was still indie.

 

I would say both color and story are important to me. The fact that that the Prisma Visions tells a complete story in the suits had me immediately pressing add to cart. Britt's Third Eye Tarot is a modern, colorful deck that really hits every point for me.

 

I view tarot decks as a way to have 78 pieces of art with me and that influences my choices. If the art doesn't resonate with me personally, it won't make its way into my collection. In fact, a good barometer of if I'll purchase a deck and/or keep it is if I would hang the art on my wall.

 

I LOVE mythology, which is probably why Tarot of Delphi and the Minoan Tarot rank so high in my collection.

 

I can't think of anything else? What do you guys think when you see my list?

[Raggydoll]

I think my collection says that I am pretty conscious and selective. I have a clear idea of what type of decks and readings I like to do and I am not aiming to have a broad selection. I want as few decks as possible while still feeling that I have plenty of really good ones to choose from. So its an interesting balance act!

[River]

Britt's Third Eye Tarot is a modern, colorful deck that really hits every point for me.

[...]

I LOVE mythology, which is probably why Tarot of Delphi and the Minoan Tarot rank so high in my collection.

 

I'm studying archeology and have a specific interest in the Minoans! Can you tell me more about the Minoan Tarot please? :))

I also love Britt's Third Eye. :)

[gregory]

That I am obsessed and have been since 1975. :D

 

Also that I need a larger house.

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

early on a bottom feeder. Wait till a used deck came along at a price I could afford. After all, the hunt is part of the fun.

 

I'm returning the favor in the decks for sale forum, everything is $10.00

and I'm thinking about just doing them all as a group

 

The current me has boundaries, avoids mob mentality, seldom indulges in a new deck beyond a few kickstarters.

 

I cycle through all my decks one at a time each week.

So maybe they say I am a rigid person? Would common sense user be kinder? Whatever I've morphed into over the years, I do love my decks!

 

[popmygoddess]

Britt's Third Eye Tarot is a modern, colorful deck that really hits every point for me.

[...]

I LOVE mythology, which is probably why Tarot of Delphi and the Minoan Tarot rank so high in my collection.

 

I'm studying archeology and have a specific interest in the Minoans! Can you tell me more about the Minoan Tarot please? :))

I also love Britt's Third Eye. :)

 

I should hop on my computer to do this because I'm awful at formatting posts on mobile. Anyhow, here's the link https://www.darkgoddesstarot.com/minoan.htm .

 

It's by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, creator of the Dark Goddess Tarot. I absolutely LOVE it and should bring it out more often. It's system is connected to tarot, but also it's own.

 

Let me know if you pick it up!

[Jewel]

That I am obsessed and have been since 1975. :D

 

Also that I need a larger house.

~giggles~ I loved this Gregory  :thumbsup:

[Jewel]

I think mine clearly says that I can be all over the map and possibly suffer from Tarot deck attention deficit syndrome  :biggrin:, though there is a clear pattern of having slowed down in the deck acquisition as most of them are older decks.  It also shows I like some of the finer things in life and really appreciate them (the MRP decks).

[stephanelli]

Mine says three things - a. That I haven't been practising tarot long enough to have emassed anything approaching a collection, b. That I'm actually rather picky about decks and spend ages deliberating whether the deck is going to be right for me, and c. That nature influences me heavily (all my decks have a lot of nature in them)

 

Sent from my Nokia 1 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Morwenna]

That my interests are all over the place. I have Pagan decks, Christian decks, cat decks, photo decks, steampunk decks, historical decks, myth-based decks, decks that are just plain pretty, and some rather quirky decks (some QUITE quirky!). And all that in fewer than 100 Tarots (I lost count). 

 

About the only things I don't have are erotic decks and decks with very naive art (purposefully or accidentally). Or Thoth either; I never resonated with it. 

[Scandinavianhermit]

I'm a grumpy old sod, who put mainland continental occultism above Commonwealth occultism, though grateful for a few Commonwealth artists' (Huson and Jackson) service to the mainland continental Tradition. 

 

I have 1JJ Swiss Tarot, Rider-Waite (plaid back) and Grand Etteilla stuffed away in my attic, and not easily available.

I have Rose Tarot on a shelf.

I have CBD Tarot de Marseille, Oswald Wirth's original 22 trumps (1889 and 1926 versions) and Dame Fortune's Wheel Tarot readily available in my domestic shrine.

Why should I need anything else?

 

Addendum:

If affordable editions of Knapp-Hall Tarot, Church of Light Tarot and Robert M. Place's The First Occult Tarot becomes available, I would be tempted out of mere curiosity, but I doubt I would abandon CBD,  DFWT and my trump-only Wirth.

Edited July 8, 2024 by Scandinavianhermit
the segment under the header addendum

[Misterei]

My collection is heavily focused on 3 areas:

1. decks that show the historical evolution of Tarot for students to see and appreciate
2. RWS clones which are most suitable for my clients
3. A few that tickled my fancy either as eye candy or for some other reason.

I think this says I'm very organized and intentional about collecting. Also that I do it for my students and clients as much as myself.

[Rose Lalonde]

The oldest decks are more eclectic, showing that I was experimenting with different ways of reading to see what worked best for me. There being very few tarot decks from after 2016 shows I've consistently read with Tabula Mundi since then.  

[SilverFox]

I think mine clearly says that I have good taste.

😎

[Guest]

It says that I'm firmly addicted to retail therapy. 

 

Kidding aside, I gravitate towards the antique, dark, mythic, dynamic, or any combination thereof. That paints me as a wanton debauchee, but I prefer to think that I'm simply generous with my favors heh.

[Laura Borealis]

Mine says that I am subject to retail therapy, impulse buying and FOMO at times. Too many decks that I later regretted.

 

But my collection also teaches me that I'm attracted to pre-used, classic decks with some obvious wear, and I never regret those, though I might regret some smells attached to them. 😸

[Rootwood]

I own 8 tarot decks. Two of them are dreadful knocks- offs from an online seller that is not Amazon. I will not make a purchase there again. 

 

I have Dark Wood, 1st purchase  having zero clue about tarot at the time.

Wild Unknown, because everyone had one and I would have been stupid not to jump on that bandwagon. Right? I like the deck yet rarely read with it. Have no desire for more animal decks.

Tarot by Caro, not sure how I found it but has what I would call naïve, folk art sort of look (?), simple colour palette, not busy and cluttered, which I like. 

Heaven and Earth, purchased as a RWS clone because as I studied and read books it became obvious that a RWS deck would be helpful, but I am not overly attracted to original RWS art. This is a reference deck, I do not  read with it.

Murder of Crows. Spare. Not hysterical. Monochromatic. Somber. No fluff.  Oooohhh, all the good stuff. This deck is the deck all others are compared to and pretty much why I only have 8 decks despite looking through hours and hours of flip throughs for 2 years now.  In the words of Sinead, "nothing compares, nothing compares to you!"
Somnia, because I was blown away by the massive undertaking and imaginative effort this deck must have been. I like the facelessness. Faces are one reason I reject many decks. Some faces are tolerated but others, just no. I can't explain it. 

Then from that not Amazon seller I bought two more decks, an antique RWS and a knock off of The Black Violet.  These are the only two decks I will let other people touch. I DO NOT permit people to touch my decks! Yes, I am super fussy that way. I won't allow people to eat peanut butter sandwiches or Cheezies near my decks!

My decks must be congruent. They must flow. There must be no jarring or screechy elements. I cannot listen to jazz because to me it sounds like a car accident and sets me on edge.  Most collage decks affect me like this. I like music with predictable melody and perhaps enough base to blow the windows out of the house.  Somnia and Murder of Crows do this for me. Heavy on the boom. It's enough. I have enough. I do not really want more. I look, but have never had my heart lurch into my throat because I must have a deck. Having said that, I long for a copy of The Prairie Tarot, out of print.  I would also not mind a real copy of The Black Violet.  I am also toying with the idea of Solara Occulto Meliora Tarot.   I am a minimalist at heart and live in morbid fear of dying and leaving a mess for someone else to clean up.  I feel content with what I have and the desire for more, beyond those mentioned, really isn't there. 

 

[xTheHermitx]

my collection says that am analytical and interested in the classic systems? 

 

I think now that I am familiar enough with the cards, I can branch out into some of the designs that are less traditional

[Elaina]

I have novelty RWS clones, sometimes kiddish and cartoony and really dark themed ones. 

 

Deviant Moon, Murder of crows,  tarot of opposites, Vlad Dracula along with gummy bear, zombie, garbage pail kids, kawaii.

 

Most fall into the novelty. 

 

Not sure what it says other than I don't take things serious. 

[Nemia]

I see myself as a collector; not in a big way (I don't have the money for that) but in a modest way. Actually, I'm glad that I don't have the money for spontaneous purchases any more. I have to think and ponder before I buy a deck, and that's good. 

 

As of today, I have 153 tarot decks. I won't count my 12 Lenormand and 12 playing card decks here because they say less about me. I have some oracles, too. But the core of my collection and my passion are my tarot decks. 

 

I have sorted them into 12 sub-collections to be used on my tarot calendar each year, and these groups reflect exactly my interests. I have an RWS collection and a Thoth collection, pip/Marseilles style decks - these are the three big tarot families.

 

    

 

All my other collections show what I'm interested in: as an art historian, I have a modern/abstract art collection, one with Renaissance/medieval art and one for individual artists. Art is really important to me. 

 

      

 

I also have astrology/mythology decks, forest/animal decks, Inner Child-related decks, fairies and mythical creatures, Christianity-oriented decks and Asia/foreign cultures decks. 

 

      

 

These are the decks I feel drawn to. Many decks would fit into more than one category, and I move them around sometimes. 

 

The funny thing is that I collected for many years and started this system only five years ago. When I sorted my decks into categories, I realized that they were exactly twelve sub-collections. So neat, so satisfying for me because I count the time using my tarot decks. 

 

 

When I was a child, I used to put my dolls to sleep at night, each in its own bed. Now, I put my tarot decks together into their own boxes (I use simple open cardboard boxes that are actually baking tins!), each in its own little bag or wrap. I try to create islands of order against chaos and anxiety that plague me from time to time. 

 

 

[xTheHermitx]

16 hours ago, Nemia said:

I see myself as a collector; not in a big way (I don't have the money for that) but in a modest way. Actually, I'm glad that I don't have the money for spontaneous purchases any more. I have to think and ponder before I buy a deck, and that's good. 

 

As of today, I have 153 tarot decks. I won't count my 12 Lenormand and 12 playing card decks here because they say less about me. I have some oracles, too. But the core of my collection and my passion are my tarot decks. 

 

I have sorted them into 12 sub-collections to be used on my tarot calendar each year, and these groups reflect exactly my interests. I have an RWS collection and a Thoth collection, pip/Marseilles style decks - these are the three big tarot families.

 

    

 

All my other collections show what I'm interested in: as an art historian, I have a modern/abstract art collection, one with Renaissance/medieval art and one for individual artists. Art is really important to me. 

 

      

 

I also have astrology/mythology decks, forest/animal decks, Inner Child-related decks, fairies and mythical creatures, Christianity-oriented decks and Asia/foreign cultures decks. 

 

      

 

These are the decks I feel drawn to. Many decks would fit into more than one category, and I move them around sometimes. 

 

The funny thing is that I collected for many years and started this system only five years ago. When I sorted my decks into categories, I realized that they were exactly twelve sub-collections. So neat, so satisfying for me because I count the time using my tarot decks. 

 

 

When I was a child, I used to put my dolls to sleep at night, each in its own bed. Now, I put my tarot decks together into their own boxes (I use simple open cardboard boxes that are actually baking tins!), each in its own little bag or wrap. I try to create islands of order against chaos and anxiety that plague me from time to time. 

 

 

 

wow...that is an awesome collection!!! I too, feel like I lean more towards collector. I already collect sports cards and Magic:The Gathering cards, so that naturally comes out in my Tarot world. (My wife calls me a hoarder, not collector...it's all perspective...). I am a novice compared to you though...only have 11 decks...but am on my way! I also need to make a sapce to display them all...that is the plan for spring and summer here at home

[Teemu]

Mmmmm. I guess my collectrion mainly tells of a male person (which is quickly confirmed by my looks). No cats, kittens, dogs, unicorns, cuties, cuddlies, sweeties or the like xD

 

The most colourful one is the Tabula Mundi I guess

 

Edited March 25 by Teemu

[Libra 58]

That I collect anything I find beautiful with colours, from nature, animals to the stars.

[Anesiadora]

My collection is a little unruly. I have a mix of everything in it, from dark decks to whimsical decks, monochrome to technicolor. That about sums up my personality, to be honest. I don't stick with one style or form of expression and often seem a little mixed up to outsiders, but deep down there's a cohesion in there somewhere. Sure I'm a little spooky but I like to have fun as well. The different art styles and deck types just show that I'm versatile and go with the flow of what I'm feeling that day (mutable sign problems).